MethodFirst boil rice separately and allow it to cool..In a big wok, add oil till it smokes, to this add ginger first and then garlic, keep stirring continously so that it wont burn. To this add the while onion portion of spring onions and mix well. Now add all the vegetables and fry for 3minutes in high heat. Add all the sauces, sat to taste and fry again till the veggies get a little tender..Adjust spice and salt to taste and mix rice well and fry again for 2minutes till everything mixes together..Garnish with spring onions..Serve this with Sweet and Sour vegetables..

Sweet and Sour VegetablesThis is my favourite chinese veggie dish. I always made it a point to eat this in shanti sagar whenever I visit Bangalore. Here is how you make it..

Method: microwave all the vegetables and fruits for a few minutes till they r soft..Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. In a pan, head a tsp of olive oil. add the sauce mix and mix well. When the sauce starts thickening, add the boiled veggies. Adjust the consistency with the boiled water. Mix well..Garnish with scallions and serve with fried rice or noodles...

In a pan, roast the dals for a minute till a nice aroma comes. Pressure cook the dals with just enough water to cover them adding turmeric.In another pan, add the seasonings and garlic. When mustard stops spluttering, add the green chillies and mix well. Now add the cleaned greens and mix well. Cover the pan for 2minutes. The greens wilt at this poin and leaves out water. Now add salt and cover for another 2minutes till the greens cook well.To this, add the pressure cooked dals and mix everything well. Add little water for desired consistency. Finally add the chillie flakes and mix everything well for another minute and serve hot.This can be eaten with white rice and ghee, or with rotis..

Friday, November 14, 2008

For anybody staying in Bangalore, we all love our good old iyengar bakeries and their goodies. One of the most oldest and favorite bakery product is the Honey Cake and an equally enticing delicacy is the Dil Pasand/Dil Khush.. I am posting this recipe for the benefit of those people who have been searching for these recipes on the Internet, which even included me at one point of time.

So here you go folks. Do try these and it would be great to let me know the results. I have personally tried and tested both the recipes and they come out perfect..

In pan boil water with honey, sugar and coconut powder and add 1/4tsp cardamom powder. Boil for 10mines and cool till warm.

Method

Sift the flour.Add the baking powder and sift the flour again. This makes soda spread evenly in the Maida.Break the eggs and pour them in a cup. Beat them till the froth color is white. Better if u do it with an egg-beater.Add sugar and keep beating till the sugar dissolves completely.Slowly pour the Maida, and as u do, keep mixing to ensure there are no blobs of Maida…Do not batter it overly. And as soon as the Maida gets dissolved get the batter ready for baking.I guess u know the baking process. I don't elaborate on that…. Oil the pan, line the bottom of the oven with a waxed paper… oil it again… and then fill it with batter….. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake for around 45mins till the cake is done. Check after every 30 minutes.After the cake is baked, get it out of the oven and let it cool.When the cake is done, add this syrup to the entire cake and let it soak for 20-30mins. Cut it and enjoy the Honey Cake.

Tip: Just make sure you adjust the flavor and sweetness of honey and use honey accordingly.

Method: Mix all the above four ingredients to a soft dough like chapatti dough. Cover it and let it sit for an hour.

In a bowl mix.50g dried coconut scrapings, 50gms sugar,50g Cherry frts,50g Dry fruits . Now roll the dough into a thick circle. Dab it either with egg wash or with butter. Add the above mixture and bake it in the oven at 350 for 15mins. Keep checking at 10minutes till it is brown and crispy..

Dilkhush: (Serving 4)

150Ml Water250g Maida10g Yeast60g sugar10g salt

Mix above ingredients into a dough like chapatti dough and leave it covered for 45minutes-1hr.For the Masala

Mix the ingredients well. Take care that the mix is loose enough just like "alu masala for alu samosa".

3) Prepare a "peda" of thickness u desire out of the dough.4) Spread the masala on ONE HALF of the peda. Fold the other half of peda sop that it covers the masala. You now have a roti folded in the middle with masala inside!5) Break an egg. Mix it well in a cup. Take a brush and dab it on the top surface of the bread.6) Bake the "peda with the mix" for 10 mins. Check if it requires more time. You can check the crust color for that!... to check if it has fully baked, poke it with a toothpick.

Monday, October 27, 2008

In any Karnataka home, Holige is the traditional sweet prepared whether it is the Kayi Holige, Sakkare Holige or the regular Bele Holige..

All three are a treat to your senses. However, below is a traditional recipe for the Bele Holige..

For Kanaka/Dough you need..

2cups maida

2tbsps Chiroti Rave/fine semolina

A pinch of salt

A pinch of turmeric..

2tbsp oil for soaking

Mix all the ingredients with warm milk till you get soft elastic dough (almost like a chapatti dough). Keep it covered in a warm place and add oil on the dough to prevent from drying..

For Hoorna/suffing

1 cup (1 pav) channa dal

1.5 cups soft dark brown jaggery

2tsps green cardamom powder

½ cup fresh grated coconut

Boil channa dal on stop stop with 3cups of water till the dal is soft but does not break. Strain all the water. Grind the dal to a smooth paste without any water.. In a thick kadai, add jaggery and sprinkle a handful of water and melt the jaggery.. and boil for 2-3 minutes till bubbles form. To this add cardamom powder and mix well. Now add the dal paste and mix well. In a medium flame, keep stirring this mixture for 10-12 minutes till all the water evaporates and the m ixture gets to a halwa consistency. To this add fresh coconut and keep it aside to cool.

To make Holige

Take a pingpong sized dough. Pat it on a foil greased with oil to a little disk. Now take a pingpong sized filling and place it in the poori. Close all the ends and roll out to a desired size. On a tava fry the holige with very little oil if needed.

Tip: Use rice flour for dusting when rolling out the holige. This gives a very unique flavour..

Friday, September 26, 2008

Mysore Badnekai/green eggplants have a unique flavour.. This is one of my most favourite vegetable. My mom has a very special way of making this vegetable with a coriender masala, it is very simple to make and yet the flavour is out of this world. Here is the recipe..

To make the Coriender masalaa bunch of coriender/cilantro leaves cleaned and chopped1/2 inch piece of ginger chopped3-4 green chilliesMake a chutney with the above ingredients..

To make:In a pan, heat 2tsp oil. Add mustard seeds, 1tsp urad dal, and a little hing. Now add the drained chopped brinjal pieces and mix well. Leave it on a medium flame for 4minutes and these brinjal chunks become crispy . At this point add salt and mix well and leave it for a minute or two. Next, add the coriender masala and mix well for 2-3minutes in a high flame till the chunks are coated well and all the masala seeps through the chunks.Serve this with chapati/any bread or curd rice..This really tastes very good with plain rice with ghee as well..

For the stuffing: take a heavy bottom kadai. Now add jaggery and water and stir till all the jaggery melts. To this add the grated coconut and cardamom powder and keep stirring till all the water evoporates and forms a thick mass (6-7mins)..

For the dough2cups maida2tbps sooji/chiroti rava2tsp melted butterMake a dough like poori dough and keep it aside for 10mins.To assemble:make small tiny pooris, place a tsp of stuffing and close the outer edges to form a semi circle. You can seal the edges with sugar water. Now deep fry these kadubus till crispy and golden and enjoy..

Monday, September 1, 2008

When we think of a fiery evening snack especially on a cold evening,, the first thing that comes to my mind is the "Mirchi Bajji" lovingingly called as "Menasinakai Bajji" in Karnataka..Especially in bangalore, the cartwheel vendors made delicious bajjis and it was my favourite indulging snack..My friend got me a bag full of the portugese peppers which are fiery hot fresh from her garden..She warned me about the degree of heat in these chillies..So I decided to make these stuffed bajjis to satisfy my snack craving:)..Here it is..

You need:5-6 portugese peppers/banana peppers/any kind of peppers which can hold stuffing and long..Clean them, make a vertical slit on one side and remove the vein with the seeds if you do not like it very hot..For the stuffing:2 boiled potatoes1 onion chopped finely1/2 cup coriender leaves chopped2tsps chat masala powder1tsp peanut powder(optional)juice of a lime and salt

mix everything together toa thick batter..To makeStuff the potato mixture into the peppers gently and keep it aside..Heat oil and deep fry the stuffed peppers dipped in batter till brown and crispy.Cut them into pieces and serve them with lime, chopped onion and cilantro with a steaming cup of coffee..

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Tomato Uppinakai"..With all the tomatoes which has been harvested this summer..my home smelled like a big tomato patch :)..I tried almost all the dishes with tomatoes and still left with many more..Finally I realised I hadnt tried my most favourite pickle which I have eaten growing up , which my grandmom made every summer which is the "Tomato Uppinakai"This version of the pickle is little labourious for the busy bees but nevertheless its worth the effort..You need:3cups of ripe tomatoes (Ihave used a mixture of grape, plum, cherry tomatoes)salt( preferably sea salt, if you dont have it, you can use the regular table salt) 1/4 cupred hot chillie powder 3 big tbsps (I love it very hot)hing 1/2tspfresh fenugreek powder/methi powder- 2tbspoil- 1 cupseedless tamarind 1/2 cup soaked

To makecut the tomatoes into big chunks and place the pieces on a baking sheet.. Now sprinkle salt generously and coat the pieces. Bake it at the lowest temperature for an hour.. Keep checking the tomatoes and tossing once in 30minutes..

Now drain all the water which the tomato leaves and dont throw it away. Now grind the baked tomatoes with all the above ingrediants excluding oil and hing..

In a thick kadai,, heat oil, add turmeric and hing to this and gently add the ground tomato paste..In a medium heat cook this mixture for exactly 20minutes covering the mixture with a lid to avoid spluttering..

After 20minutes, the paste will be very think and oil will float on top indicating it is ready..Cool this completely and store..This can be served with roti, rice, curd rice or even bread...

Now time to MeMe:)

Curry Leaf of http://tastycurryleaf.blogspot.com/ and SriLekha of Me&My Kitchen have tagged me for a MeMe :) Thanks guys. Here are the rules(a) List these rules on your blog.(b) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.(c) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

B)7 facts about me:

I am a simply complex character :) living in the US but originally from Namma Bengaluru..

I strongly believe in simplistic living and modern in thinking and trying very hard to follow this principle.

I strongly believe a good upbringing & good friendship is very important to positively influence a person. I am proud of all the people who have influenced my life..

I love my family & they always come first in my priority list..

I have a bachelors in engineering and MS in computer science from RPI, new york and presently working..

I love music from mozart to M. S. Subbalakshmi..

Finally I believe life is full of surprises and Life is very beautiful....

C) I would love to know all my blogger friends.. but sticking to the rules..I would love to tagDivya of http://mixtomatch.blogspot.com/Vidhya of http://iyercooks.blogspot.com/Asha of http://foodieshope.blogspot.com/Rashmi of http://envittuvirundhusamayal.blogspot.com/Priti of http://indiankhanna.blogspot.com/LG of http://testtasteofmysore.blogspot.com/Rajini of http://vegetarianinme.blogspot.com/

I would like to thank Kitchen Flavors , Curry leaf and Srilekha for passing the "Wylde Woman Award" to me. Thanks for thinking about me guys :).. I would like to pass this award to all the wonderful bloggers out there in the blogsphere who constantly teach something new everyday..

The rules of this award are:

1.You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you.Make sure you link to their site in your post.2. Link back to this blog site Tammy can go visit all these wonderful men and women.

Purpose of the Award

To send love and acknowledgment to men and women, who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy. It's been a blessing and an inspiration to meet all of you through your wonderful blogs.

MeMe

Sireesha from Mom's Recipies has tagged me for a meme :)The rules of the MeMe are the following:

Pick up the nearest bookOpen to page 123Find the 5th sentencePost the next three sentencesTag 5 people and acknowledge the person who tagged you.

:) the nearest book is "IKEA 2009" (lovely manual btw:)The 3 lines are (:) wow, cant believe this..) Time to make cookies. Time for a snack. With children, you sepand a lot of time in the kitchen together. So make space for it !! give them space for their things and a step up to give you a hand.. Plan your kitchen with the children in mind..

Friday, August 22, 2008

One of the most common and versatile Karnataka breakfast is the "Idli"..These white puffy steamed rice cakes are very simple to make and very healthy with almost nil oil content in them..We all know what idli is and love it..Here is how you make soft Mallige idli's...These idli's are very soft and extremely delicious..

Method:drain the soaked dal and wash it once more under running water. Grind it with a cup of water for atleast 20-25minutes till it turns frothy.The more you grind, the softer your idlis come out..Now mix the idli rava and run the grinder for 6-7minutes till everything is incorporated, add the poha or cooked rice and grind it for 2minutes. Now add salt and mix well.Take the batter in a big clean vessel and fill it upto 3/4th the vessel. Keep the batter for 4hours in a warm place..(I generally turn on the rice cooker stand for warm setting keep the batter inside the vessel)..After the batter is fermented , it rises up to the brim of the vessel. Now the idli batter is ready to be used. Grease the idli mould with little ghee/oil,add the batter and steam it for 15minutes till they are nice and fluffy..Enjoy this with sambhar or coconut chutney or spiced chutney powder...

Friday, August 15, 2008

Who wouldnt love festive feasts..We all do especially the color, the various rituals, new clothes, holidays and Food..Karnataka festive food is a delicious melange of various tasty dishes..

As the history goes Varalakshmi Vratam is an important pooja performed by many women in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and some parts of Tamil Nadu.The Hindu festival going by the name 'Vara Lakshmi Vrata' is celebrated on the last Friday of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashadha, also called Adi, which corresponds to the English months of July-AugustThis pooja came to be practiced year after year by women. Done with devotion, it is said that boons would be granted and thus many wishes would be realized.This pooja can be done with no restriction to caste or creed. To this day, the faithful of modern times observe this tradition.

For Aama Vade/Channa dal frittersSoak 2 cups of channa dal/kadlebele. Drain and pulse this with a cup of fresh grated coconut, 4 green chillies. Do not overgrind.To this mixture add chopped mint, chopped coriender leaves and a tsp of jeera.Flatten small rounds of the mixture into your palm and drop it in hot oil and deep fry till crispy and brown..

Seemebadnekai palya/Chayote PalyaFor Take 2 Chayote/Chow Chow and chop into small pieces. Microwave them for 5-6 minutes with little water till soft.Now in a pan, season with oil, mustard, green chillies and a tsp of turmeric. Now add the boiled chayote. Add salt and fresh grated coconut and serve with hot rice.

Majjige HuliPlease refer to my previous post using Taro leaves. Instead of Taro leaves, I have used a mixture of drumsticks, white pumpkin and okra.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Mango, the fruit of the Gods they say..Dont we all love it..I havent come across a variety which I have not liked so far..Here is an authentic simple dessert which is made during festivals in any Karnataka home..I am sure, a variety of this dish must be popular in other regions of India as well.

To makePeel mangoes and chop the pieces. If the mango is overripe, try to squeeze out the pulp and juice in a bowl. To this add honey, fresh grated coconut and cardamom powder. Now add ginger powder and mix well. Finally add milk and garnish it with chopped dates and nuts..Serve as it is or chilled.This can also be eaten with chapatis or rotis..

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Majjige Huli it is....A typical south indian meal includes Majjige Huli which is a tangy curry made with curd & ground channa dal(kadlebele)..This is very similar to the Gujarathi Kadhi which again has curd and chick pea flour.. It takes in water based veggies like cucumber, white pumpkin, squash or snake guard.. Okra is an excellent vegetable for Majjige Huli as well. Here is a East Karnataka version which takes a unique vegetable (rather a leaf) which is the "Taro Leaf" which is also called Colocasia/Patra/Kesuvu/Chamaaku..My vegetable garden this summer gave me fresh Taro plants with bright green tender leaves and I couldnt wait to make this Karnataka speciality..

For tadka: 2tsp oil (use coconut oil if you like since this gives a very unique flavour), 2 small cinnamon sticks, 1tsp mustard, 1tsp jeera, a strand of curry leaves and hing..

To make:clean the Taro leaves under running water. Chop the leaves into very thin filaments. In a pan, heat oil. To this add hing, mustard seeds till they crackle. Now add jeera, curry leaves and cinnamon sticks and mix for a minute. To this add the Taro leaf filaments and fry them for 3-4 minutes till the leaves turn dark green and cook well. Now add the ground paste and mix well. Close the lid for 2minutes till the flavours incorporate. Now finally add well beaten curd and salt and mix well. Turn off the heat..Serve this with any rice dish or roti...

Monday, July 28, 2008

A typical Mysore thali consists of many many delicious mouth watering items.. Here is one simple Thali where the common ingredient is Green gram dal or Hesarable which incorporates one salad, one vegetable, a rice item, dal and a dessert.. Most of these dishes are made everyday almost in any South Indian home. Nevertheless, for the benefit of those who are beginning to cook, here is how you make…

Method:Mix drained soaked hesarabele with grated carrot and coconut. Heat a tsp of oil and add all the tempering ingrediants. Mix it with the carrot mixture. Add lime juice and keep it aside for 5mins. Just before serving add salt and serve..

In a thick bottom pan, heat oil and temper with hing mustard seeds, chillies, and dals. Make sure they don’t burn. To this add the chopped cabbage mix well. Now add the soaked dal and sprinkle a hand full of water. Close a lid and in a medium flame let the vegetable cook. Cabbage leaves out lots of water and the dal gets cooked in this water. Once cabbage has cooked, which usually takes 6-7 minutes, add coconut and mix well. Again add salt just before serving to retain crispy playa..

Hesarable thovve/Green gram dal

Among all the dals, I love this dal the most. It gives out a unique flavour. To get the most of this dal, do not overcook hesarable. The grain should be soft and separated but not like a paste..

You need:

1cup hesarable (dry roast this with a tsp of ghee)1 ¼ cup of water1 green cucumber deskinned and chopped1/2cup chopped corianderJuice of a limeSalt to taste

Pressure cook the dal until it is soft but not mushy. In a pan, add the seasonings, add the cucumber and mix well. Close the lid for 5-6 minutes till the cucumber is soft. Now add the cooked dal, coriander leaves, juice of a lime and salt to taste and mix everything well. This goes very well with hot rice and ghee..

Method:In a pan, add 2tbsps oil, Add mustard, dals for seasoning, dried red chillies and a few peanuts and mix for 2minutes. To this add the groundpaste, a pinch of turmeric and mix well till the oil separates. Cool the mixture and mix with rice. Add salt and lime juice and enjoy…

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Yellow Summer Squash is one of the most versatile vegetables available in the market.. This summer, the yellow squash graced my vegetable garden and fully in harvest.. The first dish I wanted to try with this fresh homegrown squash is the authentic black pepper gojju from my good old days. This was originally made with pumpkin, but Squash is a very good alternative for this dish..

To makeFirst boil the squash cubes till tender. The young squash hardly takes 8-10minutes in the microwave. In a pan, take oil, season with hing and mustard seeds. Now add chopped raw tomato and fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the ground paste and mix well. fry for 2-3 mins. To this add boiled squash with some water, add salt and mix well till everything incorporates. This takes about 3-4 minus. Add some lime juice for a hit of sourness if you like.

Enjoy this authentic gojju with chapatis or as an accompaniment with rice..

Friday, July 18, 2008

Pizza!!!!! the name represents comfort food, colorful, cheeesy and delicious..People of all age groups enjoy this Italian delicacy.. Here is a simple home made version of a Pizza. The toppings really can go with imagination.. For the pizza dough2 cups maida1 cup warm water1tsp salta pinch of sugar1 tsp gheemix everything into a soft dough and allow it to rise for 2 hours in a warm place..

Tip: if you want to use a semi homemade version, pizza dough is available fresh in almost all the grocery stores. It is very similar to our Poori/ chapati dough.Tomato pizza sauce:blanch fresh tomatoes (4) and remove the skin. Make a puree of the tomatoes. To this add salt, sugar and dried herbs of your choice (I have used oregano and fresh crushed black pepper)

To make:roll out the pizza dough on to a round oven pan and bake it in the oven for 6minutes at 375 F.To this spread the homemade tomato sauce allround.Sprinkle a combination of your favourite cheese . I have used a mixture of mozzerella and cheddar cheese.. Now arrange all the veggies per ur imagination. Bake this for 20minutes at 400 till the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the pizza dough get golden brown. Enjoy the pizza...

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Coriender has a wonderful flavour. This herb is generally used to garnish almost any dish in the regular Indian cooking. Here is a rice dish made exclusively with Coriender/Cilantro.

You need:1 bunch fresh green coriender leaves (cleaned and chopped)2tbsp fresh grated coconut1 small tamarind ball ( de seeded and made into tiny pieces)Grind all the above into a coarse paste without adding any water.

For chitrannaIn a heavy bottom pan, heat oil. To this add the seasonings . Make sure the dals are not burned as this will change the flavour of this rice. Dont over heat the oil while seasoning. To this add the ground coriender paste and fry for 2 minutes. Now add salt and switch off the heat..When the rice is cooled, spread rice in a wide pan, add the mixture and mix well. Adjust salt based on taste..

soak the bread slices in warm water for a minute. Squeeze out the water and mix the mashed bread with mashed potatoes. to this add the powders and hing and the chutney and mix well. Add the coriender and mix. Make patties on your palm and shallow fry in a pan with a tbsp of oil till brown and crispy

For the Masala1 cup dried white peas (soak it overnight and pressure cook with salt and a bay leaf till soft)1 onion choppedGrind2 raw tomatoes, 1tsp sambhar powder, 1//2 inch cinnamon stick, 2 cloves to a paste.In a pan, add a tsp of oil, fry the onion and add the ground paste. To this add the boiled peas and in a medium flame boil the masala for 10mins till all the flavours blend and the consistency is right. Add salt to this.

Putting it togetherServe by adding the patties to a ladleful of masala . Garnish with chopped onion..

Saturday, July 5, 2008

In most parts of Karnataka, one of the easy breezy breakfast dish is the Akki rotti. Needless to say, this versatile rice flour bread incorporates variety of vegetables. Here is one version of this rotti, where I have used "Sabsige Soppu/Dill leaves" to flavour this bread. This really brings out a sharp flavour which is extremely delicious in this rotti.

To make you need:1 cup rice flour1cup chopped fresh dill leaves/Sabsige soppu2tbsps fresh grated coconut2tbsps fresh grated carrot1tbsp jeera2 green chillies chopped1 cup sour curdsalt to tasteoil..Process: In a pan, combine all the above ingredients to form a chapati like dough. The consistency should be soft but not watery. Keep this mixture aside for a few minutes till the sourness of the curd spreads in the dough.In a flat pan, grease your hands, grease the pan if it is a not a non stick pan. Take a portion of the dough (a medium sized ball) and tap from inside out on the pan till it spreads out evenly. Depending on your taste you can roll it with your palm very thin or a little thick. Now place it on the stove and on a medium flame cook this adding a tsp of oil around this rotti till it is crispy and cooked on all sides evenly.Serve it with a dollop of butter.

The rich nutritious Gulpavute is one of my most favourite desserts. With minimal ingrediants and a simple procedure, this quick and easy laddus can be a time saver when you have unexpected visitors or you are looking for a quick something sweet to eat...

The most important part of making this laddus is to dry roast the wheat flour patiently for 8minutes till the flour turns golden brown and a nice aroma comes out and keep it aside.

Take a heavy bottom pan, add water and jaggery and wait till the jaggery melts fully. Once it is melted, boil this mixture for 3-4 minutes adding ghee and cardamom powder till bubbles form. Now mix the wheat flour and the nut mixture together and add this powder to the jaggery mixture slowly on low heat stirring constantly till no lumps are formed. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture. Now switch off the heat, keep this mixture aside till it cools a little. Now damp your palm with water or rub ghee on ur palms and make laddus from this mixture.

To add an extra effect , you can sprinkle confectioners sugar if you have and enjoy these nutritious laddus..

Nerele Hannu/Jamun trees start flowering from March to April.. The fruits develop by May or June and resemble large berries. The fruit is oblong, starts green and turns pink to shining crimson black as it matures. A variant of the tree produces white coloured fruit. The fruit has a combination of sweet, mildly sour and strong flavour and tends to colour the tongue purple. The seed is also used in various alternative healing systems like Ayurveda to control diabetes, Unani & Chinese medicine for digestive ailments.During the summer it is my favourite fruit to indulge in. The tart & sweet flavour of the fruit gives a unique experience. Here is an authentic grandma’s recipe for a special raita using this fruit. This is very good for any stomach ailments & excellent nutrition for diabetics.

Ingredients:2 cups of ripe Jamun fruit/Nerele Hannu (pit out the seeds from the fruit)2 cups fresh yogurt.2tsp fresh grated coconutSalt to tasteSeasoning: 1tsp oil, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, 1 dried red chillieChop the jamun fruit into tiny chunks. If the fruit is too ripe, you can sqeeze the pulp from it. Mix the fruit with yogurt and add salt.Now add the seasoing and mix well and serve it with lime rice or eat as it as a snack..

When I think of pickles, one flavourful pickle that comes in my mind is the Makali beru (Decaepsis hamiltoni ) lime pickle. I am not sure how many of you have tasted this flavoured root but it has a unique flavour which gives the pickle a good boost. And when used with lime, the combination is so tasty.

MethodFirst deskin the Makali beru. Now removed the hard vein which runs midway and chop the root into tiny pieces.Chop all the limes into chunks of the same size and mix it with the chopped root.In another plate, mix salt, chillie powder and the fenugreek+dried chillie powder. Add this mixture to the lime + root chunks and fold in gently till each chunk is coated with this spice mixture.In a clean pickle jar ( You can used a sterilized glass jar aswell) add the pickle mixture gently. Close the lid tightly and keep it aside in a warm place for 5-6 days. On the 7 th day, open the pickle jar and mix the fresh pickle with a wooden ladle and the basic pickle is ready for consumption.

To Use: Take a small quantity of pickle.. To this add the mustard-hing seasoning before use. (Take a tbsp of hot oil, add 1/4tsp hing and mustard seeds till they crack) and add this to the pickle before use. This will enhance the flavour of this aromatic pickle.Enjoy with yogurt rice or chapattis …..

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Patrode is a cuisine very famous in Mangalore, Udupi,Karnataka. especially in coastal areas.It is made of Kesuvu/Colocasia leaves which are abundantly available in gardens.A spicy batter made of by grinding rice, bengal gram dal/green gram dal/green gram, tamarind, and red chilly. This batter is smeared on the colocasia leaves. They are then rolled & steam cooked. Ensure that the tamarind is added in good quantity as using less quantity of tamarind may cause itching of the tongue or throat.The steam cooked rolls are then taken out & cut into slices.Patrode is served in different ways. One way is the Patrode Masala/Fry which is a quick delicious tasty evening snack.. Here it is.. I serve this with delicious Mullangi Mosarabajji /Radish Raita...

Semi Homemade patrode masala:If you dont have time or patience to make the patrode idlis as described above, you can use the instant patra rolls steamed and available in the regular indian grocery store.. I have used the Bhagawati brand of rolls here...4 patra rolls ( c hop it into chunks)4 dried red chillies1/2 cup grated coconut1/2 tsp turmericlime juice 1 tspseasoning: 2tsp oil, mustard, jeera, hing and curry leaves.

Method: Heat oil in a pan, add all the seasonings and fry. Now add red chillies aand the patra chunks and fry in high flame till the oil coats the chunks well. To this add turmeric and fry more. Now add lime juice and finally garnish with coconut..Salt is optional since the pre cooked patra has salt content in it...

Patrode is a cuisine very famous in Mangalore, Udupi,Karnataka. especially in coastal areas.It is made of Kesuvu/Colocasia leaves which are abundantly available in gardens. A spicy batter made of by grinding rice, bengal gram dal/green gram dal/green gram, tamarind, and red chilly. This batter is smeared on the colocasia leaves. They are then rolled & steam cooked. Ensure that the tamarind is added in good quantity as using less quantity of tamarind may cause itching of the tongue or throat. The steam cooked rolls are then taken out & cut into slices. Patrode is served in different ways. One way is the Patrode Masala/Fry which is a quick delicious tasty evening snack.. Here it is.. I serve this with delicious Mullangi Mosarabajji /Radish Raita...

Semi Homemade patrode masala:

If you dont have time or patience to make the patrode idlis as described above, you can use the instant patra rolls steamed and available in the regular indian grocery store.. I have used the Bhagawati brand of rolls here...

4 patra rolls ( c hop it into chunks)

4 dried red chillies

1/2 cup grated coconu

1/2 tsp turmeric

lime juice

1 tsp seasoning: 2tsp oil, mustard, jeera, hing and curry leaves.

Method: Heat oil in a pan, add all the seasonings and fry. Now add red chillies aand the patra chunks and fry in high flame till the oil coats the chunks well. To this add turmeric and fry more. Now add lime juice and finally garnish with coconut.. Salt is optional since the pre cooked patra has salt content in it...

Mango... the king of fruits is true indeed. This versatile fruit is extremely rich in Vitamin A & C and a good source of potassium.Mango can be consumed both in green and ripe forms. We all know about mangoes and most of us love them.. Without doubt, I eagerly wait for every summer for this delicious fruit. In Karnataka mango uses are varied whether its Mango chutney, mango tokku, mango gojju, mango chitranna, mango pickle every variety is filled with lip smacking flavour...I thought I will welcome the Spring with 2 of my favourite Mango delicacies...the instant tasty mango pickle & my mom's extremely delicious mango dal....Here they are

To Make: deskin the mango and chop it into small pieces. In a bowl mix all the powders with a tsp of oil till it resembles a paste.. To this add all the mango pieces and mix well till they r coated nicely. Leave this aside for 10mins. The salt brings out the water in the mango making the mixture nice & tasty.Now heat oil and add the hing and mustard and mix the mango coated mixture to this... eat it to your hearts content....This is best eaten with curd rice or chapati or for that matter with anything.....

Boil the mango chunks along with the seed separately in 2cups of water till soft adding turmeric.Boil tuar dal separately.In a pan, mix both dal and mango chunks well. Add salt and bring it to a boil again. To this add the dry roasted chillie powder and season it with mustard, curry leaves and hing...Enjoy this with rice and a dollop of ghee...

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Pongal!!! reminds us of harvest, fresh grain and great food. This three-day harvest festival is celebrated every year in Magha, from the 13th to the 15th of January. The word 'pongal' refers to the dish of sweet rice prepared on this occasion. The festival is celebrated widely in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The time of the festival is of great importance to all Hindus, as it corresponds to the solar equinox when the days begin to lengthen and the nights begin to wane.Bhogali Bihu of Assam could be regarded as the matching counterpart of the Tamil Pongal festival.The nightlong feast with family and friends along with the preparation of traditional Assamese goodies, and the early morning worship of the Indian god of fire - Agni, are some of the major highlights of this festival. In W Bengal, it is celebrated in the form of a festival cum fair called Ganga Sagar Mela.However, this fair is not confined to the Bengalis only as people from all over India come to visit the Ganga Sagar with the belief that a dip in the holy bank will absolve them of their sins.In Punjab and its neighbouring states, this day is celebrated, as Lohri. It marks the coming of spring and the approaching end of winter. Fires are lit as dusk approaches. Arrangement for feasts among family and friends and gatherings around the sacred bonfire, and an exchange of greetings and pleasantries mark the festival celebration here. (courtesy:www.theholidayspot.com)

No matter which state, the common factor which makes the festival so special is the special food which is prepared. Here are 3 such authentic pongal recipes which are very simple and can be made any time of the year. It is rich and nutricious.

Sweet Pongal/Jaggery Rice:You need1cup long grain rice1/4 cup split moong dal3/4 cup jaggery/optional you can use brown sugar1tsp freshly ground cardamom seedsghee 1/4 cup.Garnish: nuts of your choice fried in gheeTo make: lightly fry the rice and moong dall with a tsp of clarified butter/ghee till nice aroma comes. Boil them together till soft but not mushy. In a thick pan, add jaggery with 1/2 cup water and bring it to a boil. when the jaggery melts, add the cardamom powder and mix well. Now add the boiled rice dal mixture and mix well. keep stirring the mixture for about 7-10minutes till the desired consistency is obtained. Finally add the remaining ghee and garnish with nuts of your choice.. Voila.. Sweet delicious pongal is ready...

Spicy Pongal/?Venn pongal/Khara pongal:You need1cup long grain rice1/4 cup split moong dal1tsp whole black pepper corns1tsp jeeraghee 1/4 cup.1tsp cashewsTo make: lightly fry the rice and moong dall with a tsp of clarified butter/ghee till nice ma comes. Boil them together till soft.In a pan, add ghee, when it is heated, add jeera and black pepper corns and cashews.. Now add the rice dal mixture and salt and mix well. I personally like the mixture not too watery, so when I boil I dont add much water.To go with this, is the traditional red pepper curry/Menasinakai gojju..

Red Pepper curry/Gojju: You need1 fresh red bell pepper/optional can use green pepper or combination of red and greentamarind paste 1tbspjaggery -piece of a lemonoil-2tbsp2 cups waterseasoning: mustard, hing, jeera, curry leaves and dried red chillies 2Gojju powder: 3tspTo make: heat oil in a pan, add all the seasonings till they mix well. Now add the pepper and mix for 5minutes till the pepper softens. Now add 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Add tamarind paste, gojju powder and jaggery and mix well. Add salt based on your taste and in a medium flame boil the mixture till desired consistency is obtained. This goes very well with pongal or rice of any kind...

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acidFor best cooking results, okra should be fresh (not frozen). The pods should be small (3 inches or so long), or the okra becomes tough and stringy. If forced to use frozen okra, remove as much of the moisture as possible before cooking by spreading on a paper towel, or patting it dry after it thaws, etc."Avoid cooking okra in pans made of iron, copper or brass for their chemical properties turns the fruit blackHere are some of the authentic South Indian Okra delicacies which are simple and yummy...

Okra Fry:2cups chopped okra/Bendekai1tsp red chilly powder/paprikasalt as neededoil 2tbsp1tsp mustard seedsMethod: In a pan, heat oil, add the mustard seeds till it splutters.. Now add the chopped okra and fry till all the moisture is gone and it starts getting crispier..(Tip: avoid mixing continuously as this will make the fry sticky).. When its crispy.. add chilly powder and salt and mix well.This can be served with chapati/bread/rice or eaten as it is....

Okra Sambhar:2cups okra chopped into big chunks2tbsp toor dall (boiled)tamarind paste 1tspsambhar powder 2 tsp)1tsp jaggerySeasoning: oil, mustard seeds, hing, jeeraFor garnish: CilantroMethod: In a pan, add the oil and seasonings.. Now add the chopped okra and fry lightly till the okra is coated with oil and becomes soft but holds its shape..Now add the boiled dal with water, tamarind paste, jaggery and sambhar powder and mixwell. Boil with a closed lid for 5min till it comes to a boil..Now add cilantro and salt and mix well.This can be served with boiled rice....

Method:In a pan heat 2tsp oil, add hing andmustar seeds.. Now add the boiled okra and fry for 2mins.. Now add the ground paste and mix well for 4mins..Finally add the yogurt and salt and turn off the heat..Serve this with rice...

Monday, January 7, 2008

Usli is a quick all time favourite snack in Bangalore.. I remember the Usli given as prasadam during Ganesh Chaturthi.. the taste was unforgettable.. Loaded with protein with spice and a touch of lime tingle your taste buds..Here is a variation of usli which has a tang of Chaat as well and hence "Usli Chaat"..What more healthier than washing this off with a refreshing Carrot Cooler....

in a pan add oil, when heated add curry leaves, green chillies and half the onions. Add turmeric and fry till translucent and switch off the heat..Boil the matki till it is soft but firm.. Drain the water if any.. now mix the left over onion, cucumber and peanut powder.. To this add chat masala and juice of lemon and salt and mix well. Finally add the cooled fried onion mixture and mix well and serve immediatly...

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Every south indian meal is incomplete without this delicious tangy soup called "Rasam"..The variety is also varied, whether it is the lemon rasam, pepper rasam, pineapple rasam, dal rasam or mysore tomato rasam the flavour is unique and preparation lies in its simple ingredients and lots of boiling...I have always found the rasam to be more tasty when I boil it for a long time. maybe because the flavours blend in the water base well..This is by far the most simplest dish and goes with plain rice..The rasam powder is available in all the indian grocery stores by various manufacturers.. However, I like to make this powder once every 2 weeks since it is very simple and the flavours remain fresh..My favourite aid to this rasam is the authentic brahmin Uchellina Pudi( black seasame spiced powder).. I love the flavour of this spiced powder with rasam rice...Here is what you need:

Seasame peanut powder:1 cup peanuts( roasted and preferable deskinned)1/2 cup Black seasame seeds (dry roasted)1/2 cup curry leaves( in a tsp of oil fry these leaves till they get crispy)1tbsp dhania/coriender seeds( fry it with a drop of oil)a handfull of red chillies ( I love it spicy so i used more)1tsp jeerasalt

To do;Roast all the ingredients separately till a nice smell comes (do not over roast)..Grind everything to a fine powder adding salt..

To make Rasam:Pressure cook tuar dal and tomatoes with a pinch of turmeric and a tsp of oil with 3cups of water..In a vessel, add the cooked dal mixture and boil for 2minutes. To this add 3tsp rasam powder, salt and the tamarind paste and mix well. Now close the lid and let it come to a boil..Meanwhile in a kadai prepare the seasonings with pure ghee and add it to the boiling rasam..

Saturday, January 5, 2008

A simple breakfast or brunch to me needs to be fulfilling tasty & easy to prepare.. One of my most favourite quick rice is the seasame lime rice which is little different than the regular lemon/lime rice with an added flavour of seasame.. I love the the flavour of seasame..

Friday, January 4, 2008

ChocolateFor some it's an aphrodisiac, for others an addiction. It's Britain's favourite comfort food and one of the most commonly given presents. Chocolate has many forms and uses, and a long association with pleasure - and guilt (as quoted in BBC...)Legend says that the Chocolate was the gift of God...The cacao tree was supposedly brought to mankind by Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god who taught mortals how to make a drink from itWhether it is cocoa, dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate.. the flavour is divine..Here is a recipe which is a little unusual but nevertheless delicious and another way of indulging into this gift from god with a savoury companion served in a cute little chocolate cups & maple syrup/honey....

You Need:spring roll wraps/puff pastry sheets thawed and cut into rectangular strips...choco chips-1/2cuppeanut butter-1/2 cupoil to fryTo servechocolate cups which are edible (you can find it in any grocery store)maple syrup/honey...

Method:First microwave the choco chips till it melts.. if doing it on a stove top, make sure you melt these chips stirring avoiding getting burnt..Mix peanut butter to this melted chocolate ganache.This will serve as a filling to our samosas..If using a spring roll wrap.. thaw these wraps, cut it into 2" rectangular strips. place a tbspof filling and roll it gently to resemble a samosa.If using puff pastry.. thaw the sheets, add some all purpose flour and roll out , cut it into recangular strips and follow the same procedure..Deep fry these samosas and serve with maple syrup/honey....

Tip: if you dont have choco chips, you can mix nutella or any other choco syrup to a thick chunky peanut butter..(This will be my entry to the JFI Chocolate.....)